Christmas Parking Pig

byadminonDecember 18, 2017

The storyteller appears to be in Australia.

Myself and my children went to stay with my parents in country New South Wales for the Christmas and New Year period, while my husband had to stay home for work. The day after New Years day, we had to drive 20 minutes into the closest large town to buy groceries. My father parked in the Plaza underground carpark (a plaza is what Americans would call a small mall). Because of the intense heat it is very unfavourable to park on the roof part of the carpark in this time of year. As we got out of our car a woman in a van pulled up beside up but parked in the center of two full spaces.

As it was a small carpark with only the very brave using the roof parking and being the day after New Year it was very very busy and I assumed she had just made an error in parking. I said very politely, “I’m sorry I think you accidentally took up two spaces”, and smiled at her, expecting her to apologise and move her car; instead she said to me, “I park it like that so no one scratches my car”. (It was just an average family van wagon not expensive but not old and ratty either.) I was completely astonished at this and said (maybe I was rude but truly I was so taken aback it just came out), “That’s rather a bit selfish considering the demand for spaces”, and she said “You’re not the one who has to pay for it”,  and I said, “Everyone else seems to manage ok with the spaces provided”, she then gave me a dirty look and told me to “get over it” and walked with her husband and young children into the shop.

I have never encountered that level of selfish behaviour in my life! and what an example to teach her children! It would not matter if one has a Farrari or an old 82 volvo it is horrible to assume that your car is any more important to you than other cars are to their owners. I STILL cannot understand how she could have justified to herself the taking up of two spaces, forcing others to park on the roof in 42 degree heat (yes that was the temperature!). Tell me, was it ok for me to say what I did or do I get sentences to E-Hell along with this lady? I truly did not expect any sort of confrontation, I thought I was just being helpful to start with, but I was so utterly surprised at her response and was polite as I could be in the circumstances. 0110-12

Of course what you said was perfectly OK, and well-judged too: if it really had been a mistake you had been nice about it, and if she had been capable of being shamed into good behaviour you had given her a get-out. But as it happened this woman was brazenly doing something she knew was selfish and wrong and had no intention of being shamed out of it.

I had a similar experience on my own street. On one side none of the houses have any off-road parking, so we all need to park neatly to make room for everyone, and generally the residents do. One day I was walking past as a stranger pulled in and swung her car right into the middle of a space that was easily big enough for two cars. As she opened her car door I felt I had to say ‘If you just moved your car forward 5 or 6 feet, that would leave room for someone else to park’, and she glared at me and said ‘The world’s full of selfish parkers! When everyone else leaves room for my car, I’ll leave room for them!’ And there really is no answer to that, at least not one that isn’t perfectly futile to try to make in the street.

The parking is like this near my in-laws and they had a new neighbour last year who used to “middle park” in this manor. The other neighbours modified her parking style- they would consistently go out and fill the gap whenever they saw her park in an entitled manor such that it was tricky (but not impossible) for her to get out. She eventually cottoned on to what was happening and stopped parking like a pig

I never understood parking in two bays to avoid being scratched. It only takes one person to be annoyed (and mean enough) to do serious damage to your car in retaliation. I mean a less nice person would have heard her excuse and then keyed the car

I understand how blurting things out just happens sometimes and I don’t think the OP was horrible calling out the other driver but there IS just a touch of self-righteousness in this post (“expecting her to apologize,” (the driver had no diect effect on the OP) ) and the ever-so-slight preachiness of her responses. (I was starting to wonder if this would turn into a fist fight.)
This parking situation happens fairly often in my area of the U.S. While overall I commend the OP for her efforts, I probably would have rolled my eyes and moved on.

I have handicapped packing plates and have found there aren’t nearly enough spots to accommodate all the people with handicapped tags and placards (it will only get worse as the baby boomers age). I was at big box store and came out to load my car and leave. As I was getting ready to get into my car, a person with handicapped plates zoomed up across from me and parked in the handicapped parking area, however where he parked was not an actual parking spot. He got out of his car and I called out “That’s not a parking spot.” and was getting ready to offer him my spot as I was ready to leave when he snarled at me “I’m a veteran and I’ll park where I want.”. He then proceeded to stomp off as well as he could. I just wanted to save him a ticket but I have to admit when he acted like that I did a mental shrug and left, hoping a little that he would get a ticket (they are $200 for parking violations like this). I appreciate his service, but I really don’t think it gives him the right to park illegally.

For anyone who needs to know, 42 degrees c is around 110 f.
My opinion is that you tried to do the right thing and tell her (some car parks its easy to accidentally go into two spaces) but she was WAY out of line.
Even when parking isn’t at such a premium, that behavior has seen cars towed away by management.
If her car is SO precious to her, perhaps she shouldn’t be driving in public? Who knows, a cockie who’s eaten berries could roost on it. (That stuff stains the paint. My white car had purple blotches for several years.)

In my opinion, it was okay for you to say what you did, including pointing out that she was being selfish. There were places where I lived where cars could get ticketed for blatantly taking up 2 spaces. It is annoying when one gets a ticket for accidentally going over the like; but I hope she parks in one such parking lot and gets a ticket, or her car towed.

Where I live, there is courtesy parking for pregnant and new mothers. I have a 2 year old and am noticeably pregnant. I also am having a high risk pregnancy and am not supposed to lift too much weight (trying not to lift a sweet little boy who is asking for “uppies” is killing me).

The courtesy parking was all full of Christmas shoppers, and I had to park extremely far away from the entrance. I also was not about to allow my young son to walk through the massive amount of traffic so wound up carrying him.

When I passed the courtesy parking, it was two mid-20s gents, able bodied, with no children in sight. I just said “really?”. The passenger looked abashed, the driver flipped me the bird.

Courtesy parking is not protected by law. It’s a nice thing that shops offer customers to appeal to family shoppers. However it sometimes comes at the expense of disabled parking, with less being available for those really in need. I don’t go out of my way to park in mothers spots but if the car park is full I don’t feel bad taking one either.

Also, you don’t know what is happening in someone’s life that they want/need the closer parking spot. I broke my leg a few years ago and for months after the cast came off I was in a lot of pain walking. So I would have looked like an able bodied person taking a closer spot. I have friends with invisible disabilities who also face a lot of public ridicule when they use courtesy spots when the disabled spots are full or on the special seats on the bus. (This happens even when they have a disabled sticker on their car)

I’m not sure where you live, but in the US the number of handicapped parking spots is determined by federal law, so no matter how many “courtesy” spots an establishment chooses to designate, it won’t make any difference in that regard.

*Handicapped* parking is legally mandated. *Courtesy* parking is not. Handicapped parking is generally chosen to be the closest and most accessible, not to mention has larger spaces, but courtesy parking is just a matter of courtesy – no one can be prevented from using it.

If OP’s father had pulled into the car park after the other driver had taken up two spaces, leaving no place for them to park, I could see asking her to re-park so they could have a space, but as it was, they were already parked and had no real reason to say anything to the other driver, even if she was parking like a jerk. As OP found out, there’s not much you can say to the entitled to get them to change their attitude.

Nowadays confronting others about their bad behavior or actions in public often escalates to violence, and you’re better off leaving it alone (unless there is imminent danger) or reporting it to the appropriate authorities if applicable. OP could have reported the bad parking to someone associated with the Plaza to see if they would do anything about it. Maybe the vehicle could’ve been ticketed if there are rules or ordinances against such parking.

Sometimes there is retribution for parking like a jerk in this way–the Internet is full of images or videos of people being parked in or something being done to their vehicle (such as having shopping carts zip-tied to the door handles). Worse yet, there are those who would key the person’s car out of spite. So the entitled parker is also taking a risk in having her vehicle stand out by taking up two spaces, and though I’m not advocating damaging others’ property, may get was she deserves eventually.

I agree that for safety reasons, you’re better off not getting involved, but for the super entitled, if someone points out their rudeness, *occasionally* they are shamed into correcting themselves. I would bet if there had been a few more shoppers witnessing this exchange, the lady would have responded differently. People tend to back down against the crowd, but a lot of people will choose not to get involved and ignore it, thereby eliminating that possibility.

I think you handled the situation in a reasonable and polite manner. Karma will catch up to that person though. One of these days, someone who’s not as nice as you are will either report her van and have it towed or will get creative with their keys.

I find it interesting that there are two posts here translating the temperature. I never see Fahrenheit translated in to Celsius for us Canadians, we just take it in stride that someone means it’s freaking hot. Sometimes I have to google the cooler temperatures to see if they mean it’s really cold or just chilly.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s helpful to post a translation, I just wonder why Americans do it but people from the Common Wealth countries don’t.

You’re not her parent nor her friend so you really didn’t have a socially acceptable reason to publicly rebuke her and correct her.

This perspective may come from having lived in large cities, but you never know when you are dealing with someone mentally ill.

So publicly correcting strangers is a bad idea for your own personal safety. Telling a random guy on the subway to get up so the pregnant lady can sit down may lead to a large angry dude screaming incoherently in your face. Telling the lady in front of you at the cash register to stop calling the cashier racial slurs, may lead to her pulling a knife. Insanity and violence often happen without warning and things get really dangerous and scary in an instant.

There is a reason why people in big cities mind their own business and expect you to do the same. It’s not that they are rude, unfeeling, or abrasive. It’s that they’ve learned the best way to keep the peace is not to rile the violent and the mentally ill.

To be clear, the VAST majority of mentally ill people are NOT violent.

But there are violent people who sometimes create situations in the HOPES that someone will say something and give them an excuse. And there are some mentally ill people who suffer from terrifying delusions and hallucinations who will strike out in fear. The problem is, people don’t come with warning labels and you won’t realize you’re dealing with one or the other until things have gone south very quickly.

Was VanLady wrong and entitled, selfish and thoughtless, absolutely! She is the type of person who is always looking to get hers not matter the cost to anyone else. People like her tend to think all of us are weasely scammers solely looking out for ourselves because that’s who she is. What a sad, unhappy existence.

When I encounter people like VanLady, I remind myself that I only have to deal with them for a brief moment in time. She is stuck with herself with no hope of escape, 24/7. Everywhere she goes, there is a selfish jerk. How sad for her.

I agree! In situations where you are only mildly inconvenienced and not in any danger of harm, it is often better not to engage the crazy or the rude–they may turn on you instead and then instead of a mild inconvenience you’ll have an actual problem.

Given that it was country NSW, I doubt that someone would have gotten violent over it. I live in a small town in NSW and routinely travel to larger cities (including Sydney) and I’ve never experienced any violence for calling people out on their dodgy behaviour. They’d probably tell you where to go and move on with their lives, or ignore you.

Your experiences whilst awful are extremely rare in Australia, particularly country NSW. So based on that I see no issue with the OP’s comments.

Thanks for this. I’m my city there is a campaign on the subway system to speak out against bad behaviour.
They post signs to tell stories. One of the signs says something like a man got in a crowed car and yelled that there were too many brown people in the city! And all the brown people on the car looked uncomfortable.
First of all, non brown people would have looked pretty uncomfortable, as well. The sign goes on to say that a woman (with a vauguely middle eastern name, like mine, which is Persian not Arabic but one could go either way) stood up and told the man his behaviour was unacceptable. The man just yelled abuse at the woman until she sat down.
The sign is trying to encourage people to have stood up to the woman, but why not encourage the woman to have some sense? Even the bravest xenophobe would not get on to a packed subway car filled with people from all over the world, knowing the train was about to move, the doors were closed and there was no exit, and then start yelling insults at them…unless they where emotionally or mentally unstable, or on medication or nearing a form of dementia, point being it is painfully clear that this was not a man to be messed with and this is not the moment to be a martyr.

This woman, by reacting to this man was escalating an already dangerous situation and putting all those on the train at risk.

Why would the subway system, who claim at least one of their workers get assualted every day, encourage this kind of behaviour?

I think you did the right thing, OP. Your actions were more for defending those who would be so negatively affected by the driver’s actions than to just upbraid the driver. Really, with the temps that day, it was almost a life and death situation, as a person could become quite ill in that heat and parking in an open spot. That underground parking could be a lifesaver in your climate so it’s very important, as a resource, that it not be squandered.

I also think you did well in setting an example for the driver’s husband and kids. Maybe her husband is conflicted about his wife’s selfishness and this will be the catalyst for change. In any event, those children did see the effect of their mom’s behaviour and now have something to think about. Yes, she is teaching those children by being a bad example, but you also taught them by being a good example. Your words and concern for others may guide them to make better decisions than the ones they are living by now. And that’s a very good thing.

While 42 is hot it’s not life or death, especially for people in country NSW who are pretty used to it. The rude parker just didn’t want to deal with having to put up her windshield shade or crank her air conditioning.

What will happen is probably car karma will catch up to her. There are quite a few stories on the internet and pictures showing how others have boxed these people in so they can’t even get it, or made it worse for them.

What a selfish woman. Honestly, tickets should be given out for something like that.

Okay if Google is right 42 degrees Celsius is 107 degrees Fahrenheit which good lord that is hot! I wouldn’t want to be out in that kind of heat or park my car in the sun either if I can help it. The lady is rude and selfish for taking up two parking spaces and forcing another person to park in the sun because she doesn’t want her car to get scratch. I mean no one wants their car to get scratch because it is annoying and can cost a good bit of money but that is no excuse for taking up two parking spaces and forcing other people to find parking elsewhere. I’m not sure how it works in Australia but can’t you get your car towed for that if people complain? Maybe not but certainly would be funny if that did happen and the woman has to pay to get her car out of the car pound.

“I have never encountered that level of selfish behaviour in my life! ” I have. It is terribly selfish, particularly when parking spaces are at a premium. I see the same thing every so often.
The first thing you said was fine. The second thing you said could probably have been worded better. I don’t think that there was anything wrong with your saying something to her, because people like her behave the way they do because most of us don’t say anything.

I wouldn’t have engaged the entitled. If she got back before you, she could have keyed your car or somesuch just for good measure.

I have many holiday parking stories I can relate and I have added them here in comments over the years. It’s not worth engaging the entitled. Someday someone is going to park over enough and she pulls that and someone else may try for the offset space on either side because of someone parking far-over and she’s going to lose the side of her precious car… I’ve seen it happen.

One parking ramp I visited at an airport for short term parking (like picking up) had cameras and red or green LED’s over each park spot. You could see as you approached what was open (green). I asked and they said if someone straddled a line it faults out a sensor and they dispatch someone RIGHT now to catch the offender and make them move. I like that idea.

Did you honestly think she would have re-parked her car based on your comments? No good can come from pointing out someone else’s bad behavior and might even prove to be unsafe. Best would be to use this as a teachable moment for your children pointing out that she was wrong in taking two spaces, and that good drivers only take the one allotted to them.

Sadly, there is nothing we can really do about selfish jerks. Perhaps, you’re speaking out was noticed by her children, and it will save them from picking up her bad habits (and I would have had a strong urge to key her van, wouldn’t do it, bu the little devil on my shoulder would have been screaming)

Then, there are the nice considerate people too. I work in retail, the other day I was checking out a lovely elderly woman. Asked her if she needed help with carry out. She said yes, then got this look of absolute horror on her face “Ohh, I think I forgot to put my handicap placard up! Oh, what will everyone think of me.” She was so upset, poor thing. Not about a ticket mind you, but because people would think she stole a handicap spot.

For every self-entitled jerk out there you’ll find very sweet people. The ones who hold doors open, help you lift something heavy. Park way out in the parking lot because they don’t have a problem walking. The people who let you go ahead of them in line or reach up to get something off the top shelf for you. These are the folks we should remember.

Oh, this reminds me. A while ago, one of our local grocery stores marked out a few parking spots for cart return. They put up some posts and signs designated the area. Yet, people would still park in those spaces. So, it became sort of a game to block in the offending car with shopping carts. Shoppers would line them up around the vehicle, blocking the doors, close, but not touching the vehicle. Had fun doing this to a brand new Mercedes one day. Finally the shopping center installed actual little return stands. (and everyone once in a while, some idiot still parks in them. People just put their carts behind the car)

This happens all the time in my part of the U.S. Yes, it’s obnoxious, but I don’t think it’s the worst thing a person could do. I personally would never lecture a stranger about her parking habits unless it directly affected me – parking so close to my car that I couldn’t open my door, damaging my car somehow, etc.

I had that happen to me just last week in a country club parking lot. There are two handicapped spots and I took one (I have handicapped plates). The other was empty when I went in but when I came out, not only was the other spot taken by someone with a placard but someone had squeezed their car (no handicapped plates or placard) between us to where I could not possibly open my door wide enough to get into my car (I wear a CROWE boot which is large–think Frankenstein boot–and made of some sort of molded plastic so it is inflexible and I have to be able to open the door pretty much all of the way to be able to get in). Thankfully a slim able bodied friend was with me and was able to shimmy in and pull my car out of the space so I could get in my car. There were only 3 other people in the dining room but they also have a bar area and I have seen people park in
one of the handicapped spot to get carry out from the restaurant/bar.

As far as I’m concerned, you were as kind as you could be for a person who was being a completely inconsiderate witch. Taking up two spaces because you think your car needs to be given special treatment to me is a tow-able offense. RUDE.

I think it’s ok to say something. There was a lack of spaces, it was selfish and I don’t believe people should not call out others when it comes to out right, purposeful bad behaviour.
We’re always saying if you see something, say something.

Personally I wouldn’t say anything, but I’m a pick your battles kind of woman and when I pick a battle it must be worth it because I don’t back down. This wouldn’t be worth it to me.
People get violent around their cars and parking sometimes, I don’t get it but I’ve seen it enough.

Being polite doesn’t mean you are required to be quiet. For my own sense of calmness, I typically don’t press the issue much though. People who do stuff like that seem accustomed to confrontation (in my experience) and hence can be very unpleasant to have a conversation with.

Sure, taking up two spaces is obnoxious and unnecessary. But I think it’s really strange that OP said a word. Frankly it’s none of her business. People who park in the sun will live. OP has already parked, so she’ll live too. Possibly a parking monitor will ticket the woman for hogging two spaces, or charge her for it if it’s a pay garage, but that’s up to the owner’s discretion.

Additionally, it can be risky to enter into a disagreement with a stranger about what they do – this could have escalated into a real and dangerous fight and you, OP, started it by nitpicking a stranger about their decisions, in front of their children. She could have keyed your car or something else spiteful and ridiculous, she could have hurt you. Sometimes it’s better to just vent to your spouse (or whoever) and walk away.

Sure, I agree…..but…..i have recently been traveling and found that parking spaces in other countries, especially in parking garages are too tight. I have severe arthritis and it’s hard for me not to be able to open my door completely wide and have room to unfold my stiff legs, so while I don t yet qualify for a handicap sticker, I tend to take a little extra space. I would hate for someone to berate me for that, so just wanted to offer an alternative reasoning for why some do this. (Not that it sounds like the van family is like this)

Hopefully you don’t give yourself ‘a little extra space’ at the expense of someone already parked. I had this happen to me at the grocery. While I was putting my bags in the truck of my car a middle age man pulled into the spot next to me, his tires on the line between the spaces. He got out just as I was finishing and I commented that I was going to have trouble getting in because of his parking. He said ‘good thing your thin’ and walked off. I had to open my door onto his car and stand on my tip toes to get my rear end over the widest part of my door to squeeze in. I hope I didn’t ding his door too bad, but there really wasn’t anything else I could do.

I drove a big old car with a low centerline. It was the week before Christmas. I went to the little mall and found parking on the front row next to an older tall van. And it had a scrape and dent line, fresh, almost at my line of vision. Or up into where my glass started. I had no mirror ever mounted on that side. I get out and a woman burst out of a shop screeching I’d taken the side of her van to task. None of my car matched and my car had no damage. I grabbed her in a defensive hold, as she descended on me, it was obvious to everyone else I was trying to prevent her from scratching me. So I had her hands and she was kicking my shins into purple totally off the handle… Some others came out of the store and removed her, someone called the police, and I was taken into the back of the store to try to clean up. Police came back to see me and I had bruises and broken skin on my legs from knees to ankles from her. Whoever did her in was someone parked there before. Yes she was charged. This is another reason why I don’t even want to visit a mall in December anymore…

It may be tempting to key their car or steal the valve stem caps, but don’t. Just don’t.

Eons ago when I was holiday shopping at a mall with a parking ramp that usually was full, I saw someone doubleparked at an angle, obviously trying to keep their precious car from being scratched.

I owned a tiny little two-seater back then. I’d been driving around looking for a space and there really was no other place to park than right next to the obnoxious git and blocking them from leaving. They didn’t have to take up two spaces and I fit just fine. Tiny little cars are awesome!

A guy in a pickup truck a row over saw what I did and congratulated me. I admit I was disappointed that I finished my shopping before the double parker did.

These days, yes I too would say something. I am of an age where I am done with this crap and done with meekly moving along without speaking up.

Hmmmm. At my parking garage at work, you can actually get a ticket for taking up multiple spots. And people do pretty often. I’m in a city and spaces are sparse. Next time you might point it out to security (if there is such a thing there). A ticket wouldn’t be more than she deserves with that attitude, and from the sound of it, nothing you say will fix the problem.

I think it is right to have said something as often these people rely on the silence of others to justify their own behaviour. Awful behaviour to park like this, especially when there was another carpark she could’ve used…but selfishly wanted both a lot of space and a cool car. I’m surprised this is seen a lot in some places – I live in a large Australian city and when someone did this recently a photo of the offending car was posted on the Facebook page for our region complete with numberplate. Not something I have ever seen in person.

If she had been in Philadelphia, Detroit, Rhode Island or New York, she would have gotten a ticket and possibly be towed. Full confession: I live in area were there are no parking enforcement officers, parking meters, etc, but I have watched the show “Parking Wars” and learned so much about parking in the aforementioned cities. I also realize that they probably amp up the drama for the show, but I if I ever visit cities with parking enforcement/meters, etc, I will be reading the signs and asking if I am not sure.

My Dad has MS, 2 weeks ago I drove my parents about an hour away for same day surgery my Dad was having.
I drove their car, my car sits too low for my Dad to get in and out of.
He, of course, has handicapped plates and placards.
I pull the car around after being at the hospital for almost 10 hours, as my dad’s neurosurgeon had some sort of emergency that morning.
I am waiting for my parents to come out to drive them home….and waiting….and waiting.
I got nervous, put the four ways on, and got out and started to pace, peering into the entrance of the hospital looking for them.
Turns out my dad got a dizzy spell after the nurses put him in a wheelchair for transport and got him some juice and made him sit there for a few moments.
An elderly couple walking past, seeing the car and me pacing, shot me very dirty looks.
The lady says to her husband (loud enough for me to hear) “Would you look at this sh*t!!! Perfectly healthy and driving a car with handicapped plates! Maybe if she (meaning me) lost some goddamn weight she wouldn’t NEED special plates…the walk would do her some good!!!”
As I turn to comment, out come my folks and two nurses.
It took my mom, myself and both nurses to get my dad into the car while Mr. and Mrs. Nosy stood watching.
I closed the door and shot them my own dirty look and hopped in the drivers seat and drove away.

Thanks, I was near tears, and very drained with all the drama spending the day at the hospital.
My dad has a condition through his MS that causes severe nerve pain in his jaw, the strongest pain killers don’t help nerve pain.
He literally screams in pain, its so bad.
Anyway, we were told this surgery might help a lot, might do nothing or might make it WORSE…..total crap shoot.
Then, telling us the anesthesia might stop his breathing…..you get the idea, it was an awful, very tense day.
I sure didn’t need a lecture on being fat at the end of it all.
That couple is very lucky my folks came out when they did, because I probably would have “released the hounds” on them….we were all just fried by that point.

“The only one that has the Right to say Anything about what I eat or how much I weigh, is my doctor. And you sure don’t look like him.” (lather, rinse, repeat).

I usually use that one at the health food store after I’ve filled my cart with my special needs foods (gluten free and vegan) and start buying stuff for my omnivore-ic DH. And get reamed by some other righteous Veggie for looking at (horrors) meat. It will work good too for those having to comment about the extra in the bay window. Yep I know it’s there. Next?

To all of you who think that it’s ok to take the extra stall or park on the line because you need the extra room I would like to point some thing out. My car is 20+ years old with all the dents, dings, and occasional rust spots that entails. While I will move on and find a space if there are other open I will squeeze my car into tight spaces if there are none. If tha blocks your door because you were over the line that’s your problem not mine. Same as if I dent your car with my door. Stay in your stall I will stay in mine. If I need a space I will take it.

In snowy weather the marks may be obscured… or when that person parked this was the slot available and the person THEY parked next to was over causing them to be over… I agree about someone being tight to a line-it can make for difficult parking and/or getting in and out of the vehicle. If I actually ever get a nice vehicle and the slot is made difficult by being the only thing open and I have to deal with the drift of the one on the left who doesn’t SEEM overly hoggy because the whole row seems shifted–I sure hope someone doesn’t whonk me a good one. For any reason.

(once the only slot I could find was tight enough I couldn’t get a door open (the one to the right had passenger door space, the one to the left had driver door space, for access to their vehicles) and once I got IN the slot, I had to go out the back pass-window of the pickup (we had one installed for topper access) and when I got back there three hours later the lot was literally deserted and the two others managed to leave without whonking my vehicle) (that lot was also notorious for having painted skinny slots, they really needed to add about 8-12″ more per slot)

I bought my first brand new car a few years back. It wasn’t an expensive model of an expensive brand, but it was brand new and shiny and to avoid dings and scratches, I have taken to parking next to the most expensive car I can find in a lot. I once met with friends in town and the parking garage closest to the restaurant and movie theater was also the most expensive, so there were quite some of spaces to choose from and I ended up between a brand new Mercedes and a restored vintage Porsche. Of course, I always take care not to ding anyone either and to park in the middle of the space marked by the lines (unless there’s a column in the parking garage, then I try to leave some more space on the side opposite the column).